Helena's food scene is solid without being remarkable — which, for a Montana city of 35,000, is a reasonable achievement. The Last Chance Gulch corridor and the streets immediately surrounding it have most of the better restaurants. The general sensibility leans toward farm-to-table without being precious about it: local beef and bison appear on most menus, the produce is seasonal when possible, and portions tend toward the generous.
The best breakfast and coffee options cluster in the same downtown area. Helena has a decent independent coffee culture — a side effect, perhaps, of a state-capital population with a higher proportion of office workers than the average Montana city. For dinner, the range runs from reliable burgers and steaks to a handful of places doing more interesting things with Montana ingredients. Prices are modest by any urban standard. Reservations are rarely necessary except on summer weekends.